Chemicals and Materials Technology Calls

  1. Home
  2. Technology Calls
  3. Industrial Products
  4. Chemicals and Materials

Organization from Switzerland posted this Technology Call

Waxes are typically make up of linear or branched-chain hydrocarbon chains and can contain polar functionalities like e.g. ester or amide groups. Their importance has been well recognized, especially with the growing demand of modern consumer products like packaging, cosmetics and pharmaceutical. Plant-based or renewable waxes are also gaining favor in recent years due to higher sustainability compared to fossil based waxes. We are seeking sustainable green oxidative cleavage process that can convert renewable ester waxes, like rice bran wax and sugar cane wax, to similar end products obtained by conventional processes. Many oxidative cleavage processes are already established in the industry, but not many are eco-friendly. Furthermore, with the shifting focus from fossil waxes to plant-based waxes, alternative oxidative technologies do result in chemically different products from different plants. Here the company is keen to explore modern bleaching technologies or to work with technology-partners with bleaching experiences on renewable materials. The company is open to partners from any country and to a variety of cooperation. Research cooperation agreements with research organizations might yield into publications or consequent R&D contracts. Depending on the stage of technology readiness, an out-licensing of the process is possible or a joint venture might be a way to further develop for feasibility studies for a pilot scale up.
Seeking eco-friendly bleaching and oxidative cleaving process for waxes

Organization from European Union posted this Technology Call

We are seeking for molecules/compounds/materials which are chemically composed of two opposite parts (see Fig.). The first part of such molecules has a hyperbranched/dendrimer-like/fork shape. The second part (which is geometrically opposit to the first) is a moiety which will favour attachement. The attachment on the skin or hair surface could be generated by adhesion, covalent bonding, electrostatic attachment etc. For instance such latter moieity could react with free amines present on the hair fibers (more attachment points on the skin and hair could be considered, e.g. hydroxyl groups). Lactone groups are an example reported in literature of a reactive moiety which upon heat application can bound to the free amine of the hair. Once bounded to the skin/hair such molecules will work as molecular spacers. The molecules need to be neutrally charged, rigid, branched and have a low particle density (number of atoms in a physical volume). They will therefore decrease the interaction (e.g. Van der Walls attactions) between external particles (such as sand or dust) and the functionalized surface. Example: N-Glycans are an example of such molecular spacers and an example of desired geometrical structure. Glycan with 5 Mannose units for instance will occupy a Volume of 2.25 x 1.65 x 1.24nm with 162 atoms, which lead to a particle density of 35 x 10(^27) atoms/m^3. Such lower particle density will lead to a reduction of the Hamaker-interaction coeffiecint between the funcitonalized surface and an approaching particle. Such molecule will therefore lead to a decrease of the friction coefficient and adhesion forces.
Seeking hyperbranched, non charged, short molecules/dendrimers able to be coupled to keratinous surfaces